ANGER MANAGEMENT Dir: Peter Segal. Starring: Adam Sandler, Jack Nicholson, Krista Allen, Marisa Tomei, Allen Covert. Anger Management is based around a great conceit. Here is Adam Sandler, a man who’s made millions portraying an immature cretin famous for his temper tantrums, and in this film, he’s a character put in Anger Management who doesn’t actually get angry. Almost in retaliation for his dire filmography, everybody expects Sandler’s character, Dave Buznick, to go crazy at the slightest provocation. But repressed, bullied and bossed around at work, Dave is always the last person to mad, until an ill-fated plane trip puts him in the hands of Buddy Rydell, a therapist cum sociopath. What follows is surprising. For once, Sandler has spent some time investing his character with a humanity that’s easy to respond to. As a put-upon everyman, Dave is believable, but what makes him interesting is the glint of manic aggression Sandler puts in his eyes. As disaster piles on farce the tension mounts; when is he going to crack? The perfect foil for this is Jack Nicholson. As the play-em-as-they-lay therapist Buddy, Nicholson’s relaxed, cheerfully insane performance strikes all the right notes. People have been accusing him of falling into cliché, of playing “Jack”, but I think there’s more nuance here than he’s given credit for.
	Peter Segal has directed some truly horrible films (Nutty Professor 2, Tommy Boy, My Fellow American [shudder]), but his work here is pretty good. The film really needs a light touch, and Segal – for the most part – is happy to oblige. The musical flourishes work particularly well. Indeed, I was all geared up for the best Hollywood comedy I’ve seen in a while, until the film reached its conclusion. Throwing away the unassuming stance held most of the way through, by its end Anger Management has transformed into a typical Adam Sandler vehicle. It quickly leaps into the realm of the unbelievable, and unashamedly corny, as we’ve come to expect. Still, if you can forgive that, there’s a lot to like about this movie, including some great cameos. Compared to the inexplicably successful Bringing Down The House, Anger Management as least has some genuinely funny moments, and, you know, I think there’s hope for Sandler yet. B. Patrick Garson. Click here to discuss Anger Management on our film forum.
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